Have Yourself (A Merry Little Christmas)
by doodleswriter357
Summary: Artie and Sam celebrating the holidays through a collection of short stories, based on various Christmas songs.
1. Let It Snow

**AN: I've decided to do a little Sartie Christmas collection of sorts. Each chapter will be based on a different Christmas song. If you want the links to the songs, I'll be putting this up on my Tumblr as well. Also, the prompts don't necessarily relate to each other. Hope you enjoy!**

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It was early – Artie wasn't sure how early exactly, but he knew it was too early for Sam to be up and making as much noise as he currently was. Squinting blearily at the clock, Artie groaned as h saw that it wasn't quite seven in the morning yet. He closed his eyes and prayed for sleep to find him again. However, this was not to happen, he realized, as he felt the dip down next to him due to Sam's added weight. He felt a familiar, warm body pressed on top of his.

"Artie, wake up," Sam's breath tickled his ear. "It snowed!"

Ah well that explained it. Even at twenty seven, Sam still acted like a five year old when it came to snow. He was now bouncing slightly up and down on the bed, as though it would somehow motivate Artie to get up quicker.

"You have to come see," Sam insisted.

"It'll still be there in a couple hours," Artie groaned, trying to burrow himself deeper into their bed. But Sam was not that easily deterred. He hopped off the bed and came around to Artie's side of the bed. Artie suddenly felt his glasses being pushed onto his face. He opened his eyes, but before he could fully take in what was going on, Sam had lifted him clean out of the bed, blanket and all, and started carrying him into the living room.

Artie just sighed and relaxed into Sam's strong arms. When Sam got an idea into his head, it was almost impossible to talk him out of it. Besides, he didn't quite mind this form of transportation – and at least he was still warm.

They ended up in front of the windows in the living room and sure enough, fat, fluffy snowflakes were gently drifting down. A light dusting was already covering the ground. It was still slightly dark out, and there was a stillness to the scene. They stood there for a few silent minutes, admiring the scene before Artie cleared his throat. Sam only had to take one glance at his expression to know what was wrong. He gently set Artie down on the couch and dashed off to the kitchen to make coffee. Artie relaxed and turned his attention back out the window. It really was a beautiful sight – he just wished that it wasn't so early. Although he should have seen this coming – Sam had been obsessively checking the weather every night and they knew that there was every possibility of them getting snow today.

Sam returned from the kitchen a few minutes later with two steaming hot cups of coffee. Artie gratefully wrapped his hands around the warm mug and snuggled up to Sam as the other man settled on the couch next to him. It was almost as comfortable as being back in bed again. Although Artie might have huffed a little bit about having to get up, he was really enjoying sharing this peaceful moment with Sam.

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_Feedback is much appreciated as always._


	2. We Need A Little Christmas

**Here's the second one! This one is Artie and Sam decorating their house for Christmas - the song is 'We Need A Little Christmas."**

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Considering the fact that they had only been living together for a few years, it was quite amazing how many boxes of Christmas decorations they had procured between the two of them in that short amount of time. Sam had declared that weekend to be their "decorating weekend" and had gone out to buy a tree. Artie would have normally gone with him but Sam had certain specifications for the size, shape, and color of the tree and Artie didn't really feel like sitting around freezing while Sam checked every tree in the lot. So instead he stayed at home and got everything else ready. He started by shifting the furniture around so they could fit the tree in their living room and was now hauling all the boxes out of storage.

They had a box each of ornaments, most left over from their childhood. There were also lights and garland that would go on the tree, as well as the star for the top. Besides that, they had other decorations for the house itself. Fake snow, window clings, Santa Clause and snowmen figurines, more garland, electrical candles, and much more. Artie was pretty sure that his mother had stuffed some of their old decorations in there to try and get rid of them. He was half tempted to start putting stuff up but knew that he had to wait until Sam got back.

So while he was waiting, he got his iPod hooked up and started playing some Christmas music to set the mood. If he knew Sam as well as he thought he did, he knew that he would have a bit longer to wait so he settled back with a book.

Sure enough, Sam wasn't back for another half an hour, but he was quite pleased with himself and the tree that he had picked out. Together, the two of them managed to get it into the living room and standing up straight. As soon as that was done, Sam dove into the nearest box and started pulling out decorations. By this year, they had a system down and Sam started wrapping the lights around the tree as Artie began setting up a display on their entertainment center.

They worked well as a team – Sam doing the stuff that required someone reaching higher up while Artie spotted him and made sure he didn't fall off the chair or something in his excitement. Artie was better at the finer details and decided where everything went and how to set it up. After the lights, garland, and star were on the tree, they started hanging their ornaments. The crowning piece of the whole tree was Sam's Star Wars Nativity set that he proudly set up underneath it. He had placed a baby Jesus in the middle, surrounded by Luke Skywalker and C3PO. His mother hadn't been exactly pleased when she saw it last year, but just contented herself with rolling her eyes.

At one point, Sam found the tinsel and while it started off with them using it as decoration, it eventually turned into a tinsel war as they flung it at each other. They reached a truce by settling it with a kiss and then groaned when they looked around and realized what a mess they had made. The rest of the afternoon resulted in them cleaning up their mess and putting all the boxes and everything away. It was worth it though, later that night, when they plugged the tree in and it lit up. The electrical candles that Artie had placed on windowsills were glowing as well and it gave an ethereal feel to their house.

They sat back on the couch and admired their handiwork. "We should do this professionally," Sam remarked, slipping an arm around Artie.

"I'm not sure how many people consider R2D2 a proper part of Christmas though," Artie said.

"We do and that's what matters," Sam said firmly.


	3. It Snowed

**AN: The song that corresponds with this chapter is 'It Snowed' by Meaghan Smith. The Glee club has a snowball fight and when Artie gets hit, Sam gets a little overprotective.**

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It didn't take much to be able to distract the students of McKinley High School and a heavy snowfall was guaranteed to be a prime distraction for them. As the heavy flakes drifted past the windows, the teachers all but gave up teaching since just about every student was more interested in watching the snow outside.

It wasn't until lunchtime that they were able to actually do anything. The Glee club had barely settled down at their normal table when Marley pointed outside.

"Look!" she said. They all turned to look and saw Jake standing out there with a small pile of snowballs next to him. He gestured for them all to join him. Without another thought, they grabbed their jackets and filed out into the cold air.

"How about a little snowball fight?" he propositioned once they were all gathered out there. "Boys versus girls?"

"How about new kids versus the veterans?" Tina suggested.

"I like that one too," Sam agreed, pushing Artie over toward a picnic table where they started forming snowballs. The two groups divided and both stocked up on snowballs in preparation for the fight.

"What are the rules?" Joe asked.

"Rules are there are no rules," Ryder replied, letting a ball fly and therefore starting the fight. It was a pretty decent fight, as far as they went. Both teams had decent aim and just about everyone had been hit at least once. However, they were just plain enjoying themselves. It had been awhile since they had just been able to goof around and have fun. Plus it was nice that they weren't having stuff thrown at them by cruel jocks.

Sam grabbed Artie and pulled him behind the picnic table that their team had claimed.

"What are you doing?" Artie asked him as Sam ducked down next to him.

"We're making surprise ammunition," Sam said as he started forming more snowballs. Artie just rolled his eyes and pitched in. leave it to Sam to make this a bigger deal than it needed to be.

He let out a yelp as a snowball hit him in the back of the neck suddenly. The icy cold stuff started to drip down his back, which was not the most pleasant feeling in the world. Sam's eyes widened when he realized Artie had been hit. A very serious expression came over his face then.

"Don't worry Artie, I'll avenge you! Whoever did that will pay very seriously."

"Sam, I'm fine, really," Artie said as he tried to scrape as much snow off his neck before it fell down his jacket. "There's no need to avenge my honor or anything."

"Yes there is," Sam said as he swooped down, planted a kiss on Artie's lips and then ran out yelling at the top of his lungs, whipping snowballs at Jake and Ryder who were apparently the cause of the unpleasant cold currently dripping down Artie's back. Artie couldn't help but laugh a little as Sam tackled Ryder and started trying to shove snow in his face for what he did to Artie. He had never had someone fight for his honor before and he would be lying if he didn't think it was pretty sweet.

Unfortunately as he was busy watching Sam, he wasn't paying attention to the fight and all of a sudden he was hit directly in the face with a snowball. It knocked his glasses off and his face was covered with the icy stuff. It was similar to a slushy facial but worse since it had more of an impact. He heard gasps and Unique apologizing profusely, saying that she hadn't meant to hit his face. Artie was in a bit of a shock and before he could really do anything, he felt gloves gently brushing snow from his face.

Cracking his eyes open he could make out Sam's blurred figure crouching over him, obviously very worried about him.

"Artie? Can you hear me?" Sam's worried voice said.

"Yeah, yeah I can hear you," Artie replied. He wasn't really that hurt – he was more shocked than anything, but he wasn't going to lie – it had been pretty unpleasant. The rest of the club had dropped their snowy weapons by now and were gathered around him as well. He felt a little embarrassed by all the attention but was at least glad they cared.

Someone handed him his glasses which unfortunately were wet and smeared and didn't exactly help his vision much. He smiled though, if only to wipe the worried look off Sam's face.

"I'm fine you guys, really," he insisted. The others looked relieved and Sam leaned in to give him another kiss. This resulted in some whistles and cat calls from the others, which Artie chose to ignore. The worried look hadn't quite left Sam's face left and Artie couldn't help but feel warm despite the icy snow on his face (and now dripping down the front of his shirt as well as the back). It touched him, how much Sam truly cared about him.

However, he decided that a change of shirts was in order and Sam pushed him inside to do just that. Once out of earshot of everyone else, he made some casual remark about how cold the snow had made him and how he needed to warm up somehow. Suddenly Sam seemed to be pushing him quite more quickly toward the men's room.


	4. It Must Have Been the Mistletoe

**This one is based on the song 'It Must Have Been the Mistletoe' by Barbra Streisand and as you can probably guess, it involves Artie and Sam taking advantage of some Christmas traditions.**

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It had been a long, hard day at work for Artie and he had never been more relieved to be home. All he wanted to do was get something to eat, collapse on the couch and not move for about a week. And maybe make Sam give him a backrub while he was at it. However, the house was dark and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that he was home alone. As he heated up some leftovers, he plugged in their indoor Christmas lights and the tree. Although he teased Sam about his Christmas obsession, he did enjoy the cozy feel that all the decorations and lights gave to the house. He also got a fire going in the fireplace, because he wanted the room to feel as cozy and comfortable as possible.

Once his food was done, he did relax into the couch like planned and instead of watching TV, he was content to stare into the fire and get lost in his thoughts. As long as he didn't have to think about work related stuff anymore, he didn't really care. He had been sitting there long enough to finish his supper when Sam got home too. He could hear him in the kitchen, apparently making himself something to eat, and just sat back and waited. Sure enough, Sam joined him a few minutes later, flopping down on the couch next to him.

They both watched the fire for a few minutes while Sam commenced to eating before he broke the silence.

"Anything good on?"

Artie just had to laugh and Sam grinned at his joke. Somehow, Sam could always tell when he wasn't feeling that great and he always knew how to cheer Artie up. He also could sense that Artie didn't really want to talk about work or anything so instead they got on a different topic. Artie couldn't remember the last time he felt this relaxed. Both he and Sam had been busy at their respective jobs lately and hadn't had much time to spend together. This was the closest they had gotten to eating supper together in the past two weeks.

Sam got up and collected their dishes and took them into the kitchen. Artie didn't have to be in there to know that he was just dumping them in the sink and running water over them to let them soak for the time being. Sure enough, he was back a minute later and jumped over the couch from the back, landing next to – or more like on top of – Artie.

"Cuddle time!" he announced, snuggling up to Artie. The other man gladly wrapped himself up in the embrace and leaned his head against Sam's shoulder. He wasn't able to get comfortable for long though, because Sam broke away, glancing up at the ceiling.

"Oh look, mistletoe," he announced. Artie followed his gaze and sure enough, there was the plant hanging above their heads.

He gave Sam a look. "You hung it above the couch?"

"Why not?" Sam asked innocently.

"The point is to get caught underneath it accidentally," Artie replied. "If you put it there, we have to kiss every time we're sitting on the couch."

"Your point being" Sam queried with a sly grin.

Artie just shook his head but couldn't help matching Sam's grin. He also couldn't really argue with his logic.

"Is this some sort of plot for you to get a kiss from me?" he asked in mock seriousness.

"Oh I don't know," Sam teased. "But you know the rules; we've been caught under the mistletoe. So pucker up, Abrams."

Artie's grin grew wider as he leaned in. They were already pretty close from their brief cuddle session so it didn't take much. As he felt Sam's lips meet his, Artie realized that he had never actually had a mistletoe kiss before. It was fitting that Sam would be his first. And if he insisted on hanging it above the couch – well then he would be many more after that.


	5. Jingle Bells

**AN: Artie and Sam go sledding. The song is 'Jingle Bells.' And a very happy winter break to me!**

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Ever since the accident, Artie had found that he wasn't able to participate in a lot of the outdoor activities that he had enjoyed as a little kid. Anything like skiing or snowboarding was out of the question, as well as making snow angels. It was hard for him to even play in the snow without someone helping him, since his chair didn't work that great on snow. His accident had actually happened in the winter, so that first year was particularly tough on the eight year old who had to sit and watch as his older siblings ran outside and he was stuck sitting by the window and watching them. That winter was ingrained in his memory forever and he usually had a negative attitude toward winter activities if they were mentioned by somebody.

Sledding was one that to him seemed obviously out of the question as well. Sure he could sit down on a sled, but he couldn't really control it that well once it got going. And if he was being honest with himself, he was a little scared to try it. He didn't know what would happen if he went flying off at the bottom and didn't want to try and find out. Besides, it would require someone carrying him up the hill constantly and nobody was going to have to do that for long.

So when Sam suggested it, he automatically refused without really thinking about it. His boyfriend was confused at the flat-out "no" that he received and it took some prodding before Artie finally admitted his fears toward the idea.

"Oh that's no problem," Sam said with a wave of his hand. "I'll go down with you. It'll be fun!"

Artie was not convinced but Sam was persistent enough that he finally agreed. It wasn't that Sam would make fun of him – he knew that for certain. But he was still worried and didn't really want a ton of people around in case he did wipe out and needed to be helped.

Sam apparently knew where all the best sledding hills in Lima where, even though he had only lived there a few years. Artie was familiar with some of them, but he hadn't been near them in years. They parked at the top of one of them and Sam got work, unloading the sleds from the back. The hill was pretty decently sized – there were a few families a little farther down from them with little kids who were gleefully whipping down the hill, shrieking at the tops of their lungs, but besides that they were pretty much on their own.

Artie stayed firmly on the sidewalk as Sam got the sled set up at the top of the hill. He turned and looked Artie expectantly who just sighed and nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak at this point, and just obligingly wrapped his arms around Sam's neck as he was lifted out of his chair. Sam settled him carefully on the sled and then sat down behind him. It was actually a decently sized sled, seeing as how it fit two teenage boys. Sam's legs wrapped around Artie's and he felt the warmth of Sam pressing through the back of his jacket. Sam used his arms to give them a few strong pushes and then they were moving on their own, down the hill.

Sam's arms wrapped firmly around Artie's middle and he couldn't help clutching them in his fear. The cold wind was whooshing past their faces as they sped down the hill. The tiny part of Artie's brain that wasn't anticipating the ending of the ride was greatly enjoying itself. He had used to really enjoy sledding – he had forgotten that over time. As they neared the bottom of the hill, the sled started slowing down and almost as fast as they had taken off, they came to a standstill. They sat there for a second as Artie took in the fact that he had just gone sledding for the first time in over a decade. Sam jumped up and clambered around the sled so he was facing Artie,

"So? Did you have fun?"

Artie considered it for a moment. "Yeah I did." A smile broke over his face. "Yeah, I really did."

"Great!" Sam said, jumping up. "Let's do it again then."

He then got the task of carrying Artie back up the hill, as well as the sled. Apparently he claimed that he didn't mind at all and it would be his workout for the day. Artie had to wonder why he didn't just carry him around all the time then. They would probably get distracted, he figured, and end up doing other things that weren't strictly for workout purposes.

They did a few more runs down the hill and Artie felt himself loosening up and enjoying it more and more every time. He even let out a whoop and raised his arms on one run down. However, on one of the runs down, the sled hit a bump and they went flying. Before Artie could really think about anything besides trying to get his breath back and orientating himself, he felt a warm weight on top of him. Sam had landed practically on top of him, and was laughing hysterically.

"Oh man, I wish we could have gotten that on video," he was saying. "I bet we looked ridiculous."

He leaned in, gave Artie a kiss, and then leapt to his feet, all ready to help Artie up as well. Artie realized that it really hadn't been as bad as he thought and had to smile too. Sure it had been scary, but Sam was right there and it hadn't really hurt or anything. He grinned even bigger as Sam picked him up and realized that he was excited to go again.


	6. My Only Wish (This Year)

**AN: Technically this chapter is based on the song 'My Only (Wish This Year)' by Britney Spears but there is another song that makes an appearance and I won't spoil what it is. Basically, all Sam wants for Christmas this year is Artie. He gets just that.**

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Artie was getting rather frustrated. It was close to Christmas; he was currently dating Sam and since this was going to be their first time celebrating the holiday together he wanted to get Sam something extra special. However, Sam was not making matters easy for him. Every time Artie asked him what he wanted, Sam would just say something to the extent of,

"I've got you. I don't need anything else this year."

While Artie was undeniably touched by this, he still wanted to have something to wrap up and give to Sam. He loved buying gifts for people and Sam was incredibly special to him. Sure he could get him something Star Wars related or find some collector's item from some movie on eBay, but he wanted it to be really meaningful. His boyfriend was being no help at all though, so he finally decided to take what Sam said to heart.

So he sent Sam a text and told him to meet him in the choir room the next day during lunch. He then spent the rest of the night preparing for what he was going to do.

Sam was a little confused about what Artie wanted to talk to him about and was a little confused when he entered the choir room. Artie was sitting in the middle of the room with a wrapped present sitting on his lap.

"Artie, I told you that you didn't need to get me anything," Sam began to protest.

"I know that," Artie interrupted. "Don't worry; I listened to you. Now sit and watch."

Sam obligingly sat in one of the chairs and watched Artie in curiosity. He cleared his throat and began to sing.

_Hey boy I got somethin' _

_Real important to give you_

_So just sit down and listen  
Boy you know we've been together such a long long time_

_And now I'm ready to lay it on the line_

_Wow, you know it's Christmas and my heart is open wide_

_Gonna give you something so you know what's on my mind_

Sam suddenly realized that the box on Artie's lap was rather strategically placed at the same moment that he recognized the song that Artie was singing.

"Artie we're in the middle of school!" he exclaimed. "You didn't seriously –"

Artie just cracked up laughing. "Oh man, you should have seen the look on your face. That was priceless."

Sam wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to react to all of this. "You didn't actually…"

"Not quite," Artie replied, lifting the box off his lap. Sam wasn't sure if he was relieved or not to see that his pants were zipped up and nothing was showing.

"So then why were you singing that?"

"Mostly to see how you'd react," Artie replied. "But you said that all you wanted for Christmas was me. So I'm here as your present."

Sam's eyes narrowed as he glanced between the box and Artie's face. The other boy wasn't giving anything away by his expression, but Sam knew him well enough to read him. He was pretty sure he had figured out what Artie was getting at but wanted to be sure.

"We have been dating for awhile," Artie said, sounding slightly nervous. "And since you've insisted on no material presents, I am offering you myself. To do…well whatever you'd like."

It was taking Sam's brain a little to process all of this at once. Was Artie really suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? They had obviously intimate during their relationship but hadn't quite gone all the way yet. Sam hadn't lost his virginity yet and Artie had a less-than-great experience with Brittany. As he realized this, Sam felt slightly guilty. Had his insistence on no presents forced Artie to do this? When he voiced this thought though, Artie was quick to disagree.

"I had been thinking about it for awhile, and I think it's time. And you know, it fit with what you wanted for Christmas."

He had such an earnest expression on his face that Sam couldn't help lunging forward and capturing his lips in a kiss. He could feel Artie smiling against his lips and pressed himself as close as he possibly could against his boyfriend. It took some effort to reign himself in, as he had to remind himself that they were still at school in a room where anyone could walk in at any time.

"So I take it that's a yes?" Artie said with a shy smile once Sam pulled away.

"It's definitely a yes," Sam agreed. "Although I don't know what to get you now."

"I'm sure I can think of something," Artie smirked, pulling Sam in for another kiss.

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_If you didn't catch it, the song Artie was singing was 'Dick in a Box' by Lonely Island. _


	7. Baby It's Cold Outside

**AN: The song is 'Baby It's Cold Outside' minus the creepy date rape implications. Sam is stuck at Artie's due to a snowstorm.**

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With his parents gone on a business trip and his little sister sleeping over at a friend's house, Artie felt that it was perfectly logical for him to have Sam over. They could finally spend some time together uninterrupted and didn't have to worry about anyone walking in on them. While Sam had been there, it had started snowing and had continued throughout the afternoon and into the night. They hadn't taken much notice of it at first but as it got later, they noticed how much snow had piled up throughout the day.

"You can't drive in that," Artie said as they peered out the window. "It's way too dangerous and I doubt the plows will be out anytime soon."

"I have to try," Sam said. "My parents will be worried if I'm not home."

"Tell them that you're going to sleep over here. Then they'll know that you're safe."

"I'm pretty sure they won't like the fact that we'd be here by ourselves."

"Why? We can take care of…oh. Well…just mention that we have a guest room or something."

"You'd stick me in a guest room?"

"Of course not. But they don't need to know that."

"I don't know. I bet I could make it."

"Sam, take it from me. You don't want to drive in crappy winter weather. I know what can happen."

"Are you trying to guilt me into staying here?"

"…maybe a little bit."

"But if it's this bad out, nobody else will be driving and I'll have the roads to myself and can drive as slow as possible."

"There will still be ice and snow. They're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Look, it's not that I don't want to stay here, but if we have a 'sleepover' I'm pretty sure our parents will figure things out and we might never be trusted again."

"They can't blame us for this. It's not like we did this on purpose. They wouldn't want you getting hurt or worse by trying to drive home."

"You're going to knock me out or drug me in order to get me to stay here, aren't you?"

"I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. I'm actually a little hurt that you don't want to take advantage of this opportunity."

"Of course I do. I just…"

"…."

"Screw it. I'll call my parents."

"I'm sure they'll understand completely."

"You don't have to sound so smug. I blame you completely."

"What do you mean?"

"You were giving me that look. It…suggested things."

"I take it you are open to suggestions then?"

"…oh shut up."

Sam's parents weren't jumping for joy that their son was sleeping over at his boyfriend's house unsupervised, but they didn't want him to risk driving home in the storm and Sam promised that he would sleep in the Abrams' guest room. Although what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.


	8. Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

**AN: I apologize for the length (or lack of) on this one but I'm feeling quite uninspired on this prompt (and pretty tired out from my own Christmas shopping.) Either way, the song is 'It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" and Artie and Sam are going Christmas shopping.**

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Neither Sam nor Artie particularly cared for shopping in general, so they decided that they would get it all done in one go that year. They hadn't even considered Black Friday that year, although Sam wanted to see if they could use Artie (or more like his chair) as a battering ram to get through to the best deals. Artie vetoed this idea though, so they ended up planning to go one weekend later in December. They both had family members and friends to shop for, and decided that they would have to shop for one another at some other point separately.

Artie had a list carefully made up with everything that he needed to buy, where he could find it, and what price each item was. Sam was winging it, and hoping that he got everything he needed. Either way, they weren't planning on having to come back. As they made their way through their first store, Sam couldn't help but smile a little. He knew it was cheesy but he loved the stores during Christmas with the cheery music playing overhead and all the decorations up. Everyone was rushing about trying to get everything they needed for the holidays and it was just a rather cozy feeling.

Artie managed to get everything on his list in under half an hour. He knew exactly where everything was and didn't have to compare prices or anything. Sam on the other hand, wandered up and down aisles, casually perusing the stocks and grabbing whatever he felt his parents or siblings would want. He had vague ideas of what to get them but had little plan on what he was doing. Artie would wait patiently as he made his decisions without a single complaint. Sam had to admire him for that, since he would have gotten impatient a long time ago.

He threw a box of candy canes in with his purchases and they broke into it before heading for the next store. Walking along the sidewalk, sucking on their candy, they admired all the Christmas displays in the store windows. Holiday music blared from every store and there was just a general atmosphere of the season encompassing them. As Sam was browsing, he kept an eye out for things that Artie might like. While he hadn't thought out his other presents that much, he had some pretty specific ideas on things he was going to get for Artie and didn't want to miss out on anything.

They finished the day off with dinner at Applebee's and celebrated that they had accomplished what they set out to do. Artie had successfully checked everything off his list and Sam had managed to find something for everyone he needed to, despite his lackadaisical approach to it. They were mostly happy that they wouldn't have to do any more shopping that holiday season – except for each other of course, but both didn't mind since they were determined to get each other something perfect and didn't mind the extra effort.


	9. O Holy Night

**AN: All right so this chapter deals with the religious aspect of Christmas. Sam's pretty obviously religious on the show and we know absolutely nothing about Artie but I've always kind of assumed that he just isn't a very religious person in general. I've never really seen religion tackled in a Sartie fic before so I hope I've done it justice. Basically, Artie goes to Christmas Eve mass with Sam for the first time since it's a big deal for Sam. The song for this chapter is 'O Holy Night.'**

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Although Sam was religious and Artie wasn't, it had never really caused any problems between them. They each respected each other's beliefs and left it at that. They were able to talk about religion and discuss their views on it and had a mutual understanding of what each other thought. Sam often went to a church near where they lived while Artie stayed at home. Some of their friends didn't get how they did it; but they had long ago decided that just because they believed different things in terms of religion, it shouldn't mean they couldn't be together. It was a non-issue for them.

One thing Sam loved more than anything though was midnight mass on Christmas Eve. It was his favorite time to go to church out of the entire year and it just had a magical feel to it. He knew that Artie didn't really like to go to church, but it was such a special event to him that he wanted to share it with the person he loved the most. He cautiously proposed this to Artie over breakfast one day. Artie looked thoughtful and told Sam that he would consider it and get back to him later that day. He hadn't rejected it outright, which was promising. Even though it really wasn't that big of a deal, he couldn't stop thinking about it during the day and wondering what Artie was going to decide.

That night when they both got home from work, Artie didn't waste any time and told Sam right away that he wanted to go to mass with him on Christmas Eve. Sam was delighted of course, but couldn't help asking why.

"Well I know that it's important to you and I'm touched that you want to share it with me," Artie explained. "Besides, I used to go to church when I was younger and I always loved Christmas Eve mass. Plus it gives me another excuse to sing Christmas music."

Sam just grinned in response. Although he never had a problem with the fact that Artie didn't go to church, a little part of him always wished that he would come at least for Christmas. It was a big deal for him and his family when he was growing up and one of his most treasured traditions. He and Artie were a family now and it always felt a little lonely when he went without Artie.

Christmas Eve came and the two of them had a later supper that night since they would be up later. It was a little weird for both of them still to not be able to do any of the standard Christmas traditions – put out cookies and milk for Santa and read the Christmas story – something they had both done for years after they stopped believing in Santa since they had younger siblings. They had discussed adopting kids and both were excited for all the Christmases in the future where they could take part in those traditions again with their own family.

When they entered the church, Sam felt a familiar rush of happiness and calm. It was lowly lit with candles hanging by the ends of pews. Wreaths hung on the walls and people were dressed in their nicest clothes. The choir was lined up as were the bell players. He and Artie found a place to sit where Artie's chair wasn't in the main aisle. Sam couldn't help but gauge Artie's reaction to everything. He knew that he wouldn't be making any snide remarks or anything, but felt almost as though he had to prove that this was a good idea. Artie caught his eye at one point, smiled, and squeezed Sam's hand. He didn't say anything but he didn't need to. Sam finally felt himself relaxing.

The mass itself was lovely. The bells tinkled throughout the church as the choir sang and the priest's deep voice relayed the familiar story of shepherds in a field and a baby in a manger. Sam found himself getting lost in the feeling and could help glancing over at Artie throughout the mass. He couldn't express how happy he was that he was able to share this with the person he loved. He was a big believer in the holidays being about family and Artie was his family now.

Before they knew it, the mass was over and they had to fight the crowds to get back out to their car. As they were driving home, Artie said,

"I'm glad I did that. It was really nice."

"You enjoyed it then?" Sam asked.

"Of course," Artie replied. "I can see why you wanted to share that with me. I can also see why it's so important to you."

Sam didn't want to risk taking his eyes off the road for too long, but he reached out and grabbed Artie's hand. They held hands the rest of the ride home and Sam realized that he didn't really care what their Christmas traditions were – he just wanted to spend them with Artie.


	10. The Christmas Song

**AN: The song for this chapter is The Christmas Song by Owl City and I tried to relate it to the song - basically both Sam and Artie are a bit lonely around the holidays, Sam has a painfully obvious crush on Artie and...well you'll see what happens.**

* * *

As it was drawing closer to Christmas, Mr. Schue had allowed them to sing Christmas songs for the next few weeks. Since they weren't being forced to go around to classrooms or obligated to do any specials on TV, they could finally just relax and enjoy the holiday. It was like Christmas caroling, but better because everyone actually knew how to sing properly.

In fact, they ended up decided that they would go Christmas caroling around town. The people who didn't go to their school would at least appreciate it and it would just be something fun to do. They decided on a date and Tina offered to let them all come back to her house afterwards so they could have hot chocolate.

They met up at Tina's house beforehand in order to get organized and make sure they knew what songs they were going to do. Once everyone was bundled up, they headed out together. Although everyone was laughing and goofing around and enjoying themselves, Sam couldn't help but feel a little lonely. He was still living in Lima and away from his family, and he missed them more than usual, since it was the holidays.

Artie was lost in thoughts of his own. While he pretended that he didn't care, he always felt lonely on holidays like this. He never seemed to be with anyone while everyone else was. Sure he had been dating Brittany that one year, but seeing as how that relationship turned out, the memories weren't quite the same. He enjoyed spending time with his friends, but he always felt a little left out since he didn't have anyone to share it with.

Both boys put their thoughts to the side when they got to their first house and the group began to belt out "Jingle Bells" to the delighted family that lived there. This continued as they made their way around Tina's neighborhood. At one point, they stopped to take a break – or more like discuss about where they were going to go next. Half the group wanted to keep singing while the other half wanted to go back to Tina's house where it was warm. Not really caring what happened, Sam walked a little ways away from the group to where there was a bench and sat down. Knowing these guys, they could be there for awhile and he wanted a little space from the boisterous group.

Looking up, he was surprised to see that Artie had followed him. He looked adorable with his knit hat and puffy winter coat. As he drew nearer, Sam could see his eyes sparkling behind his glasses and his cheeks were pink from the cold. It shouldn't be legal for one person to exude that much adorableness, Sam decided, but tried to ignore those thoughts. He knew that he would only make himself more upset if he reminded himself that he had no chance with Artie.

"Should we just ditch them and split an apple pie from McDonald's?" Artie said jokingly, flashing a grin at Sam.

"Sounds better than standing around in the cold doing nothing," Sam replied, smiling back. "But only if you're paying."

Artie laughed and Sam's heart fluttered a bit at how utterly cute he looked right now. It was infuriating and there was nothing he could do about it.

"So I have to pay on the first date then?" Artie said, pulling Sam out of his thoughts.

"Well I guess we could split the cost," Sam replied, realizing that he was blatantly flirting with Artie and mentally telling himself to knock it off – except it seemed that Artie was flirting right back.

"Any reason why you've been quiet today?" Artie asked suddenly, looking concerned. Sam sighed internally, mostly at himself for being obvious and bringing everyone down.

"I guess I just miss my family a little bit. It's hard around the holidays," he explained.

Artie nodded in sympathy. "It can be lonely around this time of year when you don't have anyone."

He sounded so dejected that Sam felt a flash of anger at everyone who had ignored him. How could anyone not see how amazing Artie was? He deserved to have someone who thought that way about him. Sam just wished he could be that person.

Sam didn't know it, but his indignation was showing on his face and Artie read it as that. He slowly realized that his suspicions about Sam were probably correct and before the other boy could really process what was happening, he leaned forward and kissed him.

The part of Sam's brain that was still functioning was hyperventilating and basically repeating, "ARTIE IS KISSING YOU," over and over. He wasn't sure what had just happened but Artie was kissing him and his hand was cupping his face and now Sam was remembering to react and kissing Artie back and nothing existed in the entire world except the two of them.

The kiss ended far too soon for Sam's liking but as he pulled back he could see Artie who was looking bashful and a little nervous. Sam just wanted to sweep him into his arms and never let go because Artie liked him and wanted to kiss him and everything was right in the world again. He grinned at Artie who stopped looking nervous once he saw Sam's response and it didn't really matter if they stayed out in the cold for another hour to sing Christmas carols or not because what really mattered had finally happened.


	11. Silent Night

**AN: The song is Silent Night and Artie and Sam go for a walk at night.**

* * *

Sam was going to wear a hole in the carpeting if he didn't stop pacing back and forth. Artie watched him from his comfortable seat on the couch. Ever since they had finished dinner, Sam had been moving around the house, apparently bored and looking for something to do. He had resorted to the pacing when he couldn't find anything else to do. Although it was rather amusing to watch, Artie was pretty sure that Sam was going to find something else to do that would probably involve him making a big mess if he didn't act soon.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Artie finally asked Sam after watching him for a few minutes more.

"It's cold out though," Sam replied, not even breaking stride.

"So?" Artie countered. "It's not snowing or windy. If we bundle up, it shouldn't be too bad."

Sam finally stopped his pacing as he considered Artie's proposition. "Okay. But only because I'm really bored right now."

Artie just rolled his eyes as he hoisted himself off the couch and started to get ready to go outside.

The air outside was crisp and cold. It had snowed earlier in the week so the path was lined with snow but the sidewalk was cleared so they didn't have to worry about slipping on snow or ice. Sam pushed Artie's chair and Artie was realizing that it was probably a good idea that they had gone out to do something. The rate at which Sam was pushing his chair was just a little alarmingly fast. Either he had more coffee than usual or he was just sick of being cooped up; whatever it was, Artie just wanted him to get it out of his system.

It wasn't that bad out though. It was chilly but besides that, it was a beautiful night out. Many of the houses were decorated with lights and it was nice to be able to see them as they walked past. Everything was covered with snow that glittered in the streetlights. Nobody else was out and there was a calmness to the general atmosphere. As they walked, Sam finally slowed down to a normal pace as he took in their surroundings as well. All that was needed was some instrumental Christmas music and snow falling lightly around them and they could be in one of those cheesy Christmas movies, Artie thought to himself.

They didn't spend too much time outside since it was pretty cold out, but it did seem to have calmed Sam down and the two were both relaxed as they took in the serene scene around them. When they got back to their house, Sam made them hot chocolate and they settled down on the couch together, using cuddling as an excuse to warm up. They could see the calm, idyllic scene outside still and sat just enjoying each other's company and the peaceful night.


	12. Blue Christmas

**AN: This one's sad and short - the song is 'Blue Christmas.' Sam and Artie are separated during Christmas and it's just not the same when they're not together.**

* * *

Artie sighed as he looked out the window of his hotel room. It was about a week until Christmas and there was no snow. There was rain however, which was not something he was used to. Being a director meant traveling a lot though, and sometimes that included places where it didn't snow at Christmas. Part of him was glad that it wasn't snowing though – it didn't really feel like Christmas this way at least, and he knew that he wouldn't enjoy the holiday this year. When he had to travel for his job, he did it by himself since it wasn't fair to make Sam take off just to travel around with him and sit in hotels while he directed. Unfortunately that meant that this Christmas they would be separated.

They had already exchanged presents and were going to open them over Skype together on Christmas morning but it wasn't the same. They hadn't been able to decorate together, go shopping, or just spend time together at all. Artie wasn't woken by Sam being excited that it was snowing out and there were no walks in the snow. He tried to stay cheerful, since many others involved in the production were going to be missing family and friends over Christmas as well, but Sam not being with him was like a constant ache.

They had planned on celebrating Christmas on set and everyone had a Secret Santa that they were supposed to get something for. Artie had picked his present out weeks ago and it was wrapped, waiting to be opened. The one present sitting by itself looked lonely which just reinforced the feeling in Artie. He didn't want to sit around and mope but since there wasn't anything else for him to do, he continued to do just that. Everything on TV was Christmas specials and commercials with families celebrating the holidays together, all happy and jolly and he didn't want to watch something that he couldn't be involved in.

The house was always quieter when he was on his own, but it seemed almost stone dead quiet now. Sam couldn't stand it and usually had music or the TV on so there was some background noise. He hated when Artie was gone and it sucked that this time it was over the holidays. He had half-heartedly tried to get in the Christmas mood but it wasn't the same thing. He had put the decorations up by himself and even gone out and gotten a tree, but it just didn't seem to matter. There were a few presents underneath – the things that Artie had already gotten him – but it seemed silly that he had a tree just for those.

It had really hit him that this Christmas would be a lonely one when he woke up to the first snowfall and had nobody to tell. The side of the bed where Artie normally laid was cold and empty and he ended up sitting on the couch by himself, wrapped up in a blanket, watching the snow drift down. He knew that Artie loved his job and what he did, but he couldn't help but hate it a little bit, especially during times like these. For once, he wished that it wouldn't interfere with their family and lives.

He would be going over to his parents' house on Christmas after he did his gift-opening with Artie over Skype and he was glad that he got to spend time with his family – he just wished that Artie would be there too. Although he knew that this wouldn't always be the case and Artie probably wouldn't miss another Christmas, it still sucked majorly and he couldn't bring himself to even care this year.


	13. Cold December Night

**AN: The song for this one is 'Cold December Night.' Sam isn't exactly enjyoing the cold weather but cuddling with Artie is the best way to remedy that.**

* * *

Despite how excited he got when it snowed out for the first time, Sam wasn't exactly the biggest fan of all the cold weather that came with it. He would never actually admit this out loud though, since Artie would probably make him sit outside in the snow in retaliation for all the times he woke him up early. But while the snow was pretty to look at, the cold temperatures that came with it were not that pleasant. It took far too long for his car to warm up properly and by the time it did, he was almost home anyways. Rubbing his cold hands together, he made his way into the house as quickly as he could without slipping on the icy path.

Artie wasn't home yet which meant that the house itself was pretty cold too. Sam quickly turned the heat up and preheated the oven for the pizza that he was going to make. While he was waiting, he got a fire going in the fireplace for good measure. Everything seemed to be taking too long to warm up though, so he grabbed a blanket and made a cocoon of sorts around himself as he buried into the couch. He only got up to put the pizza in and then retired back to the couch.

This is what Artie found when he got home. The timer for the pizza dinged just as he entered the kitchen so he quickly pulled it out of the oven. He cut it up and threw it on some plates as he went in search of Sam. The man in question had fashioned quite a comfortable looking blanket fort of sorts around the couch and was deeply set back in it. He gave Artie a little wave as he entered. Artie just raised an eyebrow.

"Cold much?"

"Little bit."

Artie rolled his eyes as he handed the pizza to Sam and wedged himself in between the blankets as well. Sam helped adjust the blanket around his shoulders until he was comfortably seated next to him. They munched on their pizza while watching the fire. Sam was starting to warm up now and the fact that Artie was snuggled up against him helped with this matter as well.

Although Artie was tempted to make some snarky comment about how Sam couldn't handle the 'winter wonderland' now, he decided to hold it in since this was leading up to some prime snuggling time and he didn't want to be denied of that. Sure enough, as soon as they were done eating, Sam pushed their plates to the side and they arranged themselves into a familiar embrace. Having the blankets draped all around and over them was a bit unusual, but not unknown since they had made more than one blanket fort in their time.

They ended up talking about their days and it turned into idle chatter that didn't really mean anything. Sam was more than comfortable now, with the cold long forgotten. Artie hadn't forgotten though and took this opportunity to tease Sam about it. Sam tried to protest his innocence but when he couldn't come up with a good enough excuse, he resorted to tickling Artie to get him to shut up. This was quite effective and ended up with Artie flat on his back on the couch. This of course gave Sam some different ideas and he leaned in to give Artie a kiss that turned into a deeper kiss and suddenly their little cave of blankets had a new use and the cold was very much long forgotten.


	14. I'll Be Home For Christmas

**AN: The song is 'I'll Be Home For Christmas.' Artie surprises Sam by coming home for Christmas.**

* * *

Artie glanced at his watch impatiently. Although he knew it wouldn't make the plane fly any faster, he couldn't help but feel anxious. The shooting for his latest movie had gone over schedule and he had to catch a later flight home. He wanted to be home for Christmas this year but hadn't been sure if he would make it. He had told Sam to count on him not making it so they wouldn't get their hopes up if things didn't work out. However, they had gotten done soon enough that he should be able to make it home on time. He didn't tell Sam though, since he wanted it to be a surprise.

Sam wasn't too happy when he went to bed that night. It was Christmas in the morning and once again, Artie was stuck somewhere else – he didn't exactly remember where but all he knew was that he wasn't with him. Now it looked like he would be stuck celebrating another Christmas on his own. Artie had said to not plan on him being home in time and since he hadn't gotten a phone call from him, he had to assume the worst. He felt more than a little put out that Artie hadn't even found the time to call him and let him know that he wouldn't be making it home for sure. He unplugged all the lights and went to bed in a bad mood.

Eventually, Artie's plane did land and he was able to make his way home. He caught a taxi from the airport and by the time it pulled up in front of his house, the light from the dawn was already peaking through the clouds. Since he had gotten a decent amount of sleep on the plane, Artie wasn't really tired yet – this was good though because he had stuff to do before morning truly came. He made his way into the house as quietly as possible and left his luggage by the door so he didn't have to go into his room and possibly disturb Sam.

He arranged the presents that Sam had gotten for him under the tree. It was nice to know that this year he would be able to open them with Sam in the same room as him. He also got to work plugging in the lights, starting a fire, and even got the stuff set up in the kitchen to make pancakes. He hooked his iPod up and put on some Christmas music at a low volume. For a finishing touch, he grabbed a gift bow off one of the packages and stuck it on his shoulder. Now all he had to do was wait for Sam to get up.

Sam woke up feeling a bit disoriented. He felt upset for some reason and it took him a moment to realize why. It was Christmas morning – and Artie wasn't there again. He seriously considered just crawling back into bed and not coming out until the next morning but hunger won out, along with the fact that he and Artie would probably be Skyping as they opened their presents again. Grumpily, he made his way out of bed.

He paused in the hallway though as he became more aware. If he didn't know better, he could almost swear that he heard music playing – and it sounded like the fire was going. He knew he put it out the night before but he hurried his pace just in case. He stopped short though when he entered the living room.

Artie was sitting in front of the tree. The tree that was lit up; there was Christmas music playing softly and the fire was crackling away merrily. But Artie was there – and that was all that Sam could see. Sitting there with a silly bow stuck to his sweater and that maddeningly cute smile on his face and his eyes twinkling behind his glasses, looking a little tired.

"Merry Christmas Sam," he said softly. Sam stood there dumbstruck for another moment before coming to his senses and throwing himself at Artie. The two embraced for a few minutes as Sam took in the fact that it was really Artie, he was really there, they were going to have Christmas together, and this was really happening.

"You came home for Christmas," was all that Sam could say. Artie just nodded in reply.


	15. Candy Cane Christmas

**AN: I'm sorry I didn't have a chapter up yesterday but I was incredibly busy and never got around to it. But here's one for Christmas Eve! The song is 'Candy Cane Christmas' and it's Sam and Artie's first Christmas Eve with their children.**

* * *

There was a fire roaring in the fireplace, the tree was decorated and lit up, and four stockings were hung on the mantle. Outside, snow was lining the windowsill and the sky was starry and clear. From the kitchen came excited giggles as Artie wheeled himself into the living room and faced the door to the kitchen. He got the video camera situated and then called out,

"Ready."

Carefully, two small children came walking in through the door; a little girl in a white nightgown with a shock of black hair was carrying a big glass of milk. A boy with brown hair who was even younger than her had a plate with cutout Christmas cookies that he was clutching tightly. Sam followed behind them, holding a napkin with some carrots on it. The two carefully put the treats down on the coffee table next to their letters to Santa that they had written up earlier that day. Sam added the carrots as Artie filmed everything.

"What's happening tonight?" Artie asked the two kids.

"Santa's coming!" they both exclaimed, jumping up and down in front of the camera.

"He's gonna bring us presents!" the little girl named Susan said, looking imploringly into the camera.

"And he's flying in a sleigh pulled by reindeer!" her brother John chimed in.

"That's only if you've been good," Sam reminded you. "Are you sure you're not on the naughty list?"

This was met with adamant declarations that they had been good to which Artie laughed and Sam held his hands up in defeat.

"Shh I think I heard him!" Artie said suddenly. The two gasped and dashed to the window, jumping up on the footstool that had been placed there for them. They peered out into the cold night in hopes of catching a glimpse of the legendary gift – bearer.

"All right, let's read the Christmas story," Sam said, heading for the couch. Artie shut off the video camera and joined him there. Their children nestled in between their dads and Sam pulled out the book that contained the well-known story. It was actually the copy that he had as a child and he was excited to be able to share it with his kids for the first time.

"Ready?" he asked and the two nodded vigorously.

"_Twas the night before Christmas  
and all through house  
not a creature was stirring;  
not even a mouse."_

As he continued to read, both children got comfortable and listened attentively. Artie couldn't help but smile at the scene. He and Sam had finally started a family of their own and it made him so happy that they were able to do things like this.

It wasn't long before Sam finished the story and announced that it was time for bed. This was of course met with grumbling but Artie reminded them that the sooner they got to bed, the sooner Santa would come. This sent them dashing off toward their bedrooms in a hurry. After they were all tucked in, Artie and Sam waited for a little bit until they were sure they were asleep before they put the presents under the tree. It was a bit strange for there to be so many under there for the first time, but it was a good strange. It was something that they would get used to because now they had children that they could do this for. They retired to bed not long after, since they were just as excited as the kids for what the morning would bring.


	16. Christmas to Remember

**AN: The song is 'Christmas to Remember' and it's a continuation of last night's chapter - now it's Christmas morning for Sam, Artie, and the kids. And incidentally, a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone who's reading this!**

* * *

They had given the kids strict instructions to not go out into the living room until they were told to. This apparently meant that as soon as they were awake, they had to wake their parents up so they could go into the living room. Sam and Artie were greeted by two rambunctious kids bouncing on their bed the next morning, demanding that they wake up so that they could go open presents. Sam got up pretty quickly while Artie tried to hide under the covers and go back to sleep. The kids were having none of this though. John started bouncing on top of him, trying to get him up, while Susan squirmed under the covers by him.

"Daddy, can we go see what Santa brought us?" she asked, giving him a wide-eyed expression of innocence. She was close enough that he could see her clearly without his glasses, which meant that the cute factor was on an overload. One look into her big brown eyes and he was a goner. Sighing, he sat up and pushed the covers aside.

"Fine, I'm up," he said dramatically, causing the kids to bounce up and down and cheer. Sam wrestled with them for a few minutes to distract them while Artie got himself into the living room and set up with the video camera. He called out that they could come out and soon his two kids came around the corner. Their eyes grew wide as they saw the pile of presents under the tree. Susan was practically bouncing up and down in place as she took in everything, while John just stared open mouthed at everything, glancing between his sister and his parents as though he couldn't believe they were for them.

"Hey look, Santa ate some of your cookies," Sam said, directing their attention toward the coffee table. The two dashed over to take a look.

"He gave the carrots to the reindeer!" Susan squawked. "And he ate some of the cookie but left the rest for us!"

"He took our letters too!" John chimed in. "So he knows what we want."

Artie and Sam had figured that they wouldn't want to wait until after breakfast to open presents so they had the kids sit down in front of the tree so they could get started. Artie got the camera set up on a tripod so he could interact with them. He lowered himself onto the floor next to Susan as Sam handed them each a present.

The rest of the morning was filled with squeals of delight and wrapping paper flying everywhere. The kids were overjoyed with their presents and having the time of their lives. Once they were done with presents, Sam made them pancakes and bacon for breakfast. The rest of the day resulted in them opening boxes and putting toys together for the kids.

That night, the two kids were collapsed on the couch, watching the cartoon version of _The Grinch. _Artie and Sam watched them from the doorway. Sam reached down and gave Artie's hand a squeeze.

"Merry Christmas Artie."

"Merry Christmas Sam."


End file.
